Gossip in the Halls
by GreenFire1
Summary: Suikoden V: The Queen's Knights and apprentice stop to express their concern over the Prince's odd behavior. Takes place near end of game so Possible Spoilers.


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, settings or plotlines of Suikoden V. This fanfic was done for purely entertainment purposes and no money is being made from it.

**Gossip in the Halls**

Lyon exited the audience chambers, slowly closing the door behind her. She didn't like leaving the prince unprotected, especially since they had only just reclaimed Sol Falena and couldn't be sure they'd removed every threat yet. However, the prince had been separated from his sister for so long; they deserved a moment alone to catch up.

Lyon intended to stand guard right outside the audience chamber doors, until she noticed the group talking not far away. Georg, Kyle and Galleon stood off to one side of the hall engrossed in a hushed conversation. Something either Georg or Kyle said, Lyon couldn't tell, caused Galleon to jump back with a surprised look. He looked away from his companions and spotted Lyon walking towards them.

"Ah Lyon, how are you today? Where is his highness?" Galleon asked formally. Georg and Kyle looked up abruptly ended their conversation and turned to face the newcomer. Lyon wasn't sure but they almost looked a little guilty.

"I'm fine thank you. It was nice sleeping in my old bed again. The prince is talking privately with Princess Lymselia right now. I was asked to wait out here until he is done"

"I see," Galleon said. "It was good to see you, but I think I've finished talking to Georg and Kyle and must be off"

"Wait Galleon, please," Georg said, quickly grabbing his arm to stop Galleon from leaving. "We didn't mean to offend you; we know how loyal you are to the Prince."

"And you should know how loyal we are too," Kyle said quickly.

Lyon looked confusedly between the three men. Why would their loyalty be in question? "May I ask what you were talking about?"

The three exchanged glances, again with the slightly guilty look in their eyes; finally Kyle spoke up, "Actually Lyon yes. We wanted to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"Have you noticed the prince acting, well, strange lately?"

"What do you mean?"

There was a pause as they thought of how best to phrase their questions.

"Do you think the war has affected him at all?" Georg asked.

"Yes, he's grown into a strong man and fine leader"

"Oh yes yes, no questions there," Kyle said. "But we meant, have you noticed any of the more…weird affects it's had on him?"

"Weird? How do you mean?"

"Haven't you noticed…ok I'll just say it. We think he may be OCD or something"

"What?!" Lyon was shocked that they would accuse the prince of anything.

"Well think about it," Georg said trying to calm Lyon down. "How many baths has he taken today?"

"Umm…about 5 I think."

"Only 5? Miroon was telling me that the normal was closer to 20 for him," Kyle said incredulously.

Lyon had to admit 20 may be a bit much. As his bodyguard she accompanied him on all of them and had gotten used to it. "So….he likes to be clean…"

"Ok," Georg said with a small smile. Of course Lyon would defend him; they would need to provide more evidence to get her to see. "You would know as his bodyguard; has he taken a bath in Sol Falena?"

"Yes he's taken many since we retook Sol Falena I just told you…"

"No, IN Sol Falena."

"Oh…" Lyon thought for a moment, "No, he seems to prefer the baths at his castle"

"Doesn't that seem odd to you?" Kyle asked, eyeing both Lyon and Galleon. Galleon said nothing, looking every bit like he didn't want to be in this conversation, but knowing he needed to hear it. Lyon stuttered for a minute, not able to deny the oddness in the Prince's actions but unable to believe something could be wrong.

"Well maybe it's a little odd," Lyon started, "I do feel bad for Viki for how often we ask her to transport us back there after talking to Luserina." She looked up at Kyle and Georg silently asking them to suddenly decide that the prince was just fine. They looked back with a raised eyebrow causing her to sag in defeat. "Ok, so his bathing is getting a little excessive… that's hardly reason to start doubting him now!"

"Oh, we're not doubting him, far from it. We're just worried that the war may be affecting him more than we thought." Kyle told her.

"It has been very hard on him, loosing his family, his country, then Sialeeds' betrayal and death...he doesn't talk much so we don't know how he's feeling about all of it." Galleon agreed, finally joining the conversation.

"Oh I see what you mean." Lyon said softly. "But I'm sure he'll be just fine!"

"Lyon," Georg began, "didn't you tell me that he was acting weird even before the Sacred Games?"

Lyon twisted nervously as Kyle and Galleon turned to her with interest. "Well yes he acted odd after surveying Lord Lake…but…but I think he was just playing a game with me…You know pretending to forget where his own room was, making me run around in circles in the grand hall behind him before choosing which side to try next. A game." Lyon turned to each of the men for reassurance that her prince was alright and was again denied it. Her forced cheerful expression broke, and she started sobbing into her hands. "Oh my poor prince, you've been in trouble for so long and I didn't notice!"

Kyle, being skilled in the ways of consoling women, brought the crying Lyon into a hug, patting her back comfortingly. Being so much taller, Kyle was able to continue talking to Georg over her head, "He couldn't find his own room? That's a bit weird"

"Or Lymselia's, from what I heard," George replied.

"Maybe it's not just the war, it seems his troubles began at Lord Lake," Galleon mused. "It's true he's definitely a different person than he was before the war, in many good ways but also…"

Lyon had composed herself quickly and stepped away from Kyle back into the conversation. "But also what, Galleon?"

"Well," Galleon was reluctant to say anything negative about his leader, especially after everything he'd done for him, but reasoned a Queen's Knight had to protect more than just the physical wellbeing of the royal family so he continued. "Does he seem, more violent to you?"

"Violent?!" Lyon exclaimed.

"Yes and he's been gambling a lot more too," Georg said.

"Oh, I think that's just because he got good enough to challenge Jeane," Kyle started chuckling. "Who wouldn't want to spend time looking at that?!"

Georg and Galleon both took a step back from the now seething Lyon, while Kyle remained oblivious, lost in fantasy. "Kyle…shut up."

"What? It's my duty to prepare the prince for adult hood, and since he recruited Jeane I think I'm doing a good job."

The air around Lyon dropped in temperature, until even Kyle took notice and stepped back, finally silent. Lyon of course had managed to contain what wanted to be a much larger outburst. She was normally a very controlled woman, but she was also very protective of the prince. The speculation that he may be suffering from something she couldn't fight was taking a lot out of her.

"Ignoring Kyle," Galleon said trying to steer the conversation back on topic. "Yes, more violent. He keeps taking out hunting parties around every area of the country."

"The defense of the country from dangerous creatures is important," Lyon said, composed enough again to defend the prince.

"No argument there…" Kyle said. "But I've noticed that he doesn't seek out those dangerous creatures. He seems to just run around in circles attacking anything indiscriminately."

"So you've noticed his fondness for running in circles as well?" Georg said. "I wonder if it's related to his condition with the baths, or if it's something different."

"The prince does not have a condition!"

"Of course not, Lyon" Galleon said trying to make peace. "Perhaps Georg misspoke."

"My apologies Lyon, I didn't mean to offend" Georg made a slight boy. "However, back to his strange behavior with the hunting parties; He attacks small creatures with the same strategies he uses for a dragon. He's even used the dawn rune on one of Cornelio's DoReMi elves"

That brought wide eyes from all assembled.

"I had forgotten that…" Kyle said.

"It's not as bad as you think," Lyon said. "I've been in almost all of those parties and I've talked to him about it maybe being a little… excessive. He explained to me that he only wants to get stronger so that the upcoming battles will be easier"

"I see, that is a wise precaution. But I think the war has made him obsessed with getting stronger, he seems to be ranking himself on how many creatures he can kill"

"War has been known to bring out that side in people," Galleon said sagely.

"My poor prince, he needs to be strong for the war but it's almost over, he'll get better then" Lyon again turned hopefully eyes to her companions, and tried to give a small smile.

"We can hope Lyon…we can hope" Georg said.

A door banged open at the other end of the hall, causing several of the still battle alert guards to run for weapons. After a moment of confused shouting and banging steel, Miakis erupted from behind the dazed soldiers looking triumphant.

"I got it! I got it!" Miakis shouted, waving a large stack of papers in her hand.

"Miakis, you're energetic as always," Kyle said with a smile. "What exactly do you 'got'?"

"Well, I went through the prince's stuff..."

"Gasp!"

"Oh calm down Lyon. And I found this list…"

Georg eyed the very large pile in her hands "List? Of what?"

"It's a list of every possible combination of everyone he's recruited into his army, along with two categories "outdoor" and "indoor"…wow! Look how long this thing is!"

Everyone huddled in closer into the group to see the list in Maikis' hands. There were enough papers that each grabbed a few and started piling over them.

"Indoor and outdoor?...you don't think" All exchanged a look.

"The baths?" Lyon suggested hesitantly.

"Why would he keep a list of everyone he's taken a bath with?" Miakis asked confused.

"I don't know…but come to think of it, whenever he invited me to the bath with him he keeps staring at us, like he's waiting to see if something will happen" Georg said. There was mumbled agreement that others had felt the seen the same thing.

"wow, he's thorough," Kyle said, a little too loudly. "I don't even remember some of the baths he's got me checked down for…Hey why has every possible combination with me and Jeane been crossed out?"

"Oh good, he's still got some common sense left if nothing else" Miakis teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kyle demanded.

"Don't say that! The prince is not crazy!" Lyon shouted at the same time.

"Ok I'm sorry Lyon, I didn't mean to imply that"

"Who's crazy?" a sudden voice from behind asked.

"Prince!" There was a mad shuffle to hide the list, and stand at attention as though nothing had been going on. Except for Lyon who continued to stare at the newcomer blankly.

"No one, we… no one is crazy. Certainly not you," Miakis covered, she thought perfectly.

"We didn't mean to imply…nothing, you are in perfect health." Kyle said, as he attempted to stand even straighter.

"Roy take off that wig this instant! You promised you would stop."

"Dammit! How do you always know it's me?" Roy asked removing the wig.

"Wow Lyon you're good at that," Kyle congratulated.

"Why are you dressed like the prince, Roy?" Lyon asked dryly.

"Lucretia thought it would be a good idea to have me walk around the castle for awhile…you know try to get any of Godwin's men to come out. 'almost seemed disappointed when I came back without a scratch."

"As 'entertaining' as Roy is, he has made a good point that maybe this is not the best place for this discussion" Kyle said.

"Yeah mutiny discussions should be held in private, everyone knows..." Roy said.

"It's not a mutiny discussion!" Lyon interrupted him in a harsh whisper so the guards wouldn't hear.

"Yes, we're only expressing concern about the prince," Georg said with a pointed glare daring him to argue.

"Yeah sure…It's ok, I agree, guy is a nutbag"

"Roy that is inappropriate, you should be more respectful…ah Prince" Lyon pushed past a confused Roy and gave a slight bow, as the Queen's Knights assembled behind stood at attention for real this time.

"Ah Lyon, there you are," The prince said coming over to join the group.

"Hello Prince, how was your talk with the princess"

"It was fine, she's doing much better now. I was just talking with Zweig and he wants to go check out the West Palace, they think it might be connected to the sun rune"

"I understand, when do we leave?"

"Next week."

"Next week?" Lyon said shocked. "Can we really afford to wait that long? Who knows what the sun rune will do in a week."

"I don't believe we'll be in any trouble, now on to other matters," The prince dropped his business talk and took on a much brighter grin. "I just talked with Luserina and she's gathered Rahal, Euram and Shigure. Ah there you are Roy, I asked her to find you as well. I think we should head back to the Castle for a bath…oh this would be so much easier if Luserina would just stay at the castle…"

Lyon followed after the prince as he talked about his bath plans for the next week before moving to end the war. She glanced back to see the four Queen's Knights still hunched over the Prince's list trying to see what notes he'd written about them and hearing the occasional giggle before finding herself being transported back to the castle for daily bath #6.


End file.
